After the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Councillors requested Mayor R Priya and the Commissioner J Radhakrishnan to increase their ward funds further at the council’s discussion of the corporation budget on Thursday, February 22, the Mayor promised to increase their funds by at least Rs 5 lakhs. 

Previously, on February 21, in the budget for 2024-25, the Mayor had announced that the ward funds of councillors will be increased from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 45 lakh for the upcoming fiscal year. Expressing their discontent with the increase, several councillors highlighted that they require an additional increase in the amount. V Rajan, councillor of ward 143, belonging to the DMK, was among those who demanded an increase in the fund. “It is good that the Mayor’s fund has been increased from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore. It will be appreciated if our fund was at least Rs 60 lakhs,” he said.

Towards the end of the meeting, Priya announced, “While it might not be possible to increase the fund to Rs 60 crores, we will try to increase it by another five lakhs and round ward fund off to Rs 50 lakh. A proposal to this extent will be considered.”

Read: Chennai Corp Budget: Gyms for women, new UPHC in North Chennai & other details here